Lawmakers hear from area voters

By Christian Schiavone/Staff Writer

Thu Dec 11, 2008, 01:11 AM EST

Acton, Mass. – Local residents have a range of areas they want to see the Legislature support, but at the top of the list is helping local towns stay afloat despite the wavering economy and the likelihood of more budget cuts coming from Beacon Hill.

Jamie Eldridge, who was elected last month to the Middlesex and Worcester seat in the state Senate, hosted a legislative forum at Acton Town Hall on Dec. 8 to hear from constituents about their biggest concerns heading into 2009.

Jennifer Benson, a Lunenburg Democrat who was elected to succeed Eldridge in the House, and state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, also attended the forum.

“It’s important to have citizens come to a forum like this so constituents can point out things that legislators, with our busy schedules, might not think about,” said Eldridge, who hosted a similar forum two years ago when he was a state representative.

Just a day after House Speaker Sal DiMasi warned that municipalities could see a 5 percent to 10 percent drop in local aid next year, several residents urged their legislators to cut carefully, sparing aid to as many essential services as possible.

Selectman Paulina Knibbe asked the legislators to maintain the current formula for determining Chapter 70 aid for local schools. The formula was changed two years ago to account for increasing enrollment and guarantees a minimum contribution from the state, partly because of lobbying from Acton and surrounding towns.

“Keep the formula even if the pot gets smaller because it makes a big difference,” said Knibbe.

Jonathan Chinitz, chairman of the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee, also asked the legislators to spare funding for the state’s special education circuit breaker law, which reimburses school districts for educating students with severe learning disabilities.

“The circuit breaker is the wrong place to cut,” said Chinitz. “That’s not the place to find money.”

Several residents said it’s also important to remember older citizens, including many who live on fixed incomes.

Clint Seward said the Legislature should consider easing the eligibility requirements for the state’s senior tax abatement to help older residents keep up with increasing property taxes even as property values continue to slide.

“The senior tax abatement should be a top legislative issue,” said Seward. “The qualifications … were set 10 years ago and are woefully out of date.”

Seward led an effort earlier this year to use $2.4 million in town reserves to prevent a property tax increase this year, but the measure failed at a special Town Meeting in October.

Atkins said legislators are aware of the needs of local their communities and would work to protect their vulnerable citizens.

“If we have to go through this, I can’t think of a better place to go through it than here,” she said. “We’re all in this together and we’re going to get through this as fast and as well as we can.”

After the forum, Eldridge said that hard economic times could spur changes on Beacon Hill by forcing legislators to turn away from special interests and focus on their constituents top needs.

“Because of the economic problems it creates opportunities for reforms,” said Eldridge. “People realize the need to come together.”

Constituents also asked the legislators to reform the state’s Chapter 40B affordable housing law, support funding for school libraries and continue to support measures to protect the environment.

Christian Schiavone can be reached at 978-371-5743 or at cschiavo@cnc.com.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/acton/news/x1049852323/Lawmakers-hear-from-area-voters